Latch



' Sept. 30, 1930.

G. E. R OEDDING mites Filed July 13. 1929 INVENTOR jlacdavz BY far/biz Patented Sept. 30, 1930 UNITED STATES ATENT ;=1=1; 1-;

GORDON E. ROEDDING, D mas nArns, Mronrdan, ASSIGNOB r amen umps a BRASS COMPANY, or GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN LA'rori Application filed. July 13, 1929. Serial No. 377,990.

The main object of this invention is to provide an automatically engaging latch for refrigerator doors and the like which has few parts, these parts being economical to produce and assemble, and at the samev time'strong and durable. V

A further object is to provide a latch of 7 this type with a so-called drop or depending handle or actuating lever.

Objects relating to details and economies of my invention willappear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

A structure which is a preferredembodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevationof a door and its casing with one of my improved latches mounted thereon, the latch housing and actuating lever being shown in section on line 1-1 of Fig. 3. i i

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary the left of Fig. 1. s

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section on line 3.-3 of Figs. 1 and 1. 7

Fig. 1 is a fragmentarysection on line 44 of Figs.1,-3 and 5. I

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the housing back or base plate with the bolt actuating spring mounted thereon. v

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the back plate showing structural details thereof. p

In the accompanyingdrawing, 1 represents a door and 2 its casing. The latch housing 3'is provided with a back plate 4 having a tubular pivot or bearing member 5 struck up therefrom. This latch housing may be effectively formed as a stamping.

The back plate is slot 6 extending from one side of the pivot 5 and a radial slot 7 on the opposite side, the purpose of which will appear later.

The bolt 8 is also formed as a stamping and is provided with a pivot engaging or bearing portion 9 which engages the pivot member for swinging and longitudinal tilting view looking from ,inovement.

The back plate'is provided formed with a curved lugs 11 adapted toengage the said slots wlien thebolt is' swung to retracted position, V

A coiled spring 12 is arranged in the pivot member 5 and isprovided with a U -shaped arm 13 at its lower endengaged in the curved or U-shaped slot 6 of the back plate, the end of the arm engaging the slot 7. The spring terminates in a radial arm 14 at its'npper end which is engaged with the lugs 15 struck downwardly from the bolt, these lugsbeing arranged in opposedspaced relation. The engagement of the spring with the back plate is such as to support it not only against rotas tivemov'ement but also againstlongitudinal movement. Thespring is engaged with the boltunder tension so that ittends to urge the its stop16, the edge ofthe opening 17 through which thebolt proj ects constituting'a stop.

The bolt is 'swung to. retracted position; by

means of-the lever 18 which is pivoted'at19 on the housingand-provided with 'a forked.

, arm 20 projecting into thehousi'ng to enga'ge the;-spherically curved end 21 on the bolt. When the bolt is" swung to itsretractedposi; tionlby this lever, thesp'ring irocks the bolt longitudinallybringing its detents into an; 'gage'ment with the bolt detent slots/10. The V coacting keeper 22 is provided with a trap or tappet 23 with'wliich the bolt engages as the. door is swung to its closed positiomthereby lifting the detents 11 from the-slots 10, allowingthesPring' to-aotuate the bolt. fiMyimproved latchhas few parts. These parts maybe very economicallyv produced and assembled!) The structure is compact and at the-same time very strong. i

I have illustrated and described my improvements as adapted for refrigeratordoors. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe other modifications or adaptations as it is believed this disclosure-will enable those skilled in the;art toembody or adapt thesameas may bedesired. s

Having thus described thy-invention, what I claim as new andjdesire to secure by :Let'

tei's Patentiis provided with aback plate having a tubular "1.7 In a latch, thecoml i'nationof ahousing pivot member projecting therefrom, a curved slot at one side of said pivot member and a radial slot at the opposite side, said back plate also having a bolt detent slot, a bolt provided with actuating means and mounted on said pivot member for swinging and tilt ing movement and provided with a detent lug engageable with said detent slot, said bolt also having spaced oppositely disposed lugs struck inwardly therefrom and positioned above said pivot member, and a coiled spring arranged in said pivot member and terminating in a U-shaped arm engaged in said slots in said back plate whereby the spring is supported against rotative and longitudinal movement, said spring terminat ing at its upper end in a radially disposed arm engaged with said lugs on said bolt under tension whereby the spring acts to urge said elt to latching position and said detent into engagement with said detent slot.

2. In a latch, the combination of a housing having aback plate provided with a tubular pivot member and with a bolt detent, a bolt mounted on said pivot member for swinging and tilting movement and having a spherically curved bearing portion at its innor end, a coiled spring arranged in said pivot member and terminating at its lower end in an'arm engaged with said back plate for supporting the spring against rotative and longitudinal movement, said spring terminating in an arm at its upper end engaged with said bolt so that the spring acts to urge the bolt to latching position and into engagement with said dentent, and a lever pivotally mounted on said housing and having a forked arm engaging the spherically curved bearing portion on said bolt.

3. In a latch, the combination of a housing having a back plate provided with a tubular pivot member and with a bolt detent, a bolt mounted on said pivot member for swinging and tilting movement a coiled spring arranged in said pivot member and terminating at. its lower end in an arm engaged with said back plate for supporting the spring against rotative and longitudinal movement, said spring terminating in an arm at its upper end engaged with said bolt so that the spring acts to urge the bolt to latching position and into engagement with said detent, and means for retracting said bolt and disengaging it from said detent.

4. In a latch, the combination of a housing provided with a bolt detent, a bolt mounted in said housing for swinging and tilting movement, a coiled spring disposed concentrically relative to the bolt pivot and con nected at one end to said housing and atthe other to said bolt whereby the bolt is urged to latching position and also into engagement with said detent, and a lever mounted on said housing and operatively connected hand.

GORDON E. ROEDDING. 

